The Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust : Quarterly Programme

MEMBERS’ TOURS

PROGRAMME

JANUARY TO MARCH, 2010

The oldest mining camp in this mining town. It boasts 44 Main Street with its wonderful Art Deco windows and sculptures; an architectural masterpiece with a very long name – Transvaal Chinese United Club Mansions - the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court with a very shady past as well as the beautiful Church of St Alban’s, the cathedral for the “Coloured” Anglicans. Ferreirasdorp has an extraordinary history from wagon tent town to forced removals and now it flourishes again with the brand new Zurich building. No more dongas and trenches for the unwary, just the ubiquitous Jo’burg potholes. It’s dramatic, it’s multicultural, it’s third and first world. WOW!

MEET : Flo Bird and Dennis Adams
TIME : 14h00
PARK : Drive into town over the Mandela Bridge and keep straight on Ntemi Piliso (West) Street. Turn right into Fox Street just before the Magistrate’s Court and cross Miriam Makeba Street. The parking will be on your left. Zurich has agreed to let us use their open parking in Fox Street between Miriam Makeba and Alexander Street. Just beyond the Magistrate’s Court look out for the big security gates and blue shade cloth. Our cars will be safe and cool.
DURATION : Two and a half hours
COST : R55-00 for members and R80-00 for non-members
MAX No : 50

The most romantic and enchanting of all Sir Herbert Baker’s buildings Northwards reflects the lovely lady chatelaine, Jose Dale Lace. After the dreadful fire she was succeeded by Sir George and Lady Albu who restored and extended the west wing to accommodate their much larger family. The gardens have recently won another award, the mansion is replete with a ghost and glorious views to the Magaliesberg and Dr Viljoen is an incomparable guide.

MEET : Dr Neil Viljoen
TIME : 14h00
PARK : Forecourt of Northwards, 21 Rockridge Road, Parktown
DURATION : Three hours
COST : R55-00 for members and R80-00 for non-members
MAX No : 30

Come on a full day tour to Irene – an area which retains its country charm despite the encroachment of urban development. Learn of the history from the overthrow of the Bakwena by Mzilikazi’s Impis, the war between Brit and Boer to more peaceful times (we visit the Concentration Camp graves) and the development of an agricultural estate and model village. Enjoy lunch in the gardens of Jan Smuts House and absorb the atmosphere of this many facetted man, General Jan Smuts, as you are taken on a tour of his home.

MEET : Janet Hughes and Den Adams
TIME : 08h00 for prompt departure at 08h30
PARK : Sunnyside Park Hotel, 2 York Road, Parktown
DURATION : Day tour returning at apporximately 17h00
COST : R290-00 for members and R370-00 for non members. This price includes lunch, all entrance fees plus a final guided visit to the Irene Estate and Dairy Farm
MAX No : 30

Visit one of Jo’burg’s finest buildings designed by Leith and Moerdyk. Walk through to Eloff Street to admire the recently re-furbished Beaux Arts masterpiece known variously as TUCS, The School of Mines, the Tech and part of UJ. Doff a cap to the old President Hotel then walk up to Joubert Street to see some Art Deco blocks of flats, back along Rissik Street and into the MOTH memorial. Return passing the Railways Administration building under the old clock which still hangs above the pedestrian route.

MEET : Flo Bird and Val Hammerton next to the fish pond in the open parking
TIME : 14.00
PARK : Railway Station Open Parking – enter from Rissik Street which involves driving south along Harrison, left into Bree and second left into Rissik. Keep in the right hand lane and just before the north end of the bridge enter the car park. NB. Parking fee for your own cost.
DURATION : Two and a half hours
COST : R55 for members and R80 for non-members
MAX No : 40

Doornfontein, the suburb of the elite before World War I, still retains some of its former grandeur. This was succeeded by a large Jewish community, then a black community who lived in five ‘notorious slumyards’. A period of industrialisation followed that saw an influx of a coloured and, to a lesser extent, Indian and Chinese communities. Each left its own mark: their monuments we shall admire if they are extant; their sites we shall visit and learn about if no lasting memorials remain. Altogether there are 250 sites of historical interest, which we shall try to cover in four hours. There will only be one disembarkation for a short rest stop. The Aga Khan visited Doornfontein, so did two Popes, Sam Jameson lived here, as did Walter Sisulu, Joe Slovo, Anton van Wouw and even David Beresford Pratt worked here. The suburb boasts three National Monuments, Ellis Park and Ellis Park Stadium.

- the site of Sir Jan Langerman’s mansion on nine New Doornfontein stands; he was Sir Robinson’s right-hand man

- the mansion of Mr Mostert, who left Doornfontein in 1912 for Balfour where he had built his Herbert Baker 55-roomed house, which he bequeathed ‘to the future Prime Ministers of South Africa’

- the site of the shack of two bedraggled coloured brothers, one of whom became a Professor of English at the University of California at Berkeley and the other head of Overseas Missions in Canada

One day you will be able to buy the book. Alkis Doucakis and Ann Meisel are editing a book on Doornfontein to which 84 authors have submitted 131 papers, of which 118 have been edited.

MEET : Alkis Doucakis with Winnie and Ernest Job
TIME : 13h00 for prompt departure at 13h30. PLEASE NOTE EARLY STARTING TIME
PARK : Sunnyside Park Hotel, 2 York Road, Parktown
DURATION : 4 hours
COST : R120-00 for members and R170-00 for non-members
MAX No : 56

Shortly after the Great Trek (1845) Mr Meyer and his family en route to Ohrigstad stopped here. Falling in love with the region Meyer approached the then Transvaal Government who sold him 3 farms totalling 2000 hectares. He chose this site for the magnificent old farmhouse built in 1890. It still graces the countryside tucked neatly under stone koppies, the homestead is still occupied by the Meyer family. You can snatch a glimpse as you race past on the freeway. We will explore this little known area with its many, many surprises. Alberton recently celebrated its centenary and the Alberton Heritage Society will be sharing the highlights.

MEET : David Forrest and Flo Bird
TIME : 13h00 for prompt departure at 13h30. PLEASE NOTE EARLY STARTING TIME
PARK :Sunnyside Park Hotel, 2 York Road, Parktown
DURATION : Four and a half hours
COST : R130-00
MAX No : 32

NB: THIS IS A MEMBER’S ONLY TOUR – PLEASE BOOK THROUGH THE OFFICE ON (011) 482-3349

Thanks to the Chevra Kadisha we’ll be visiting the Jewish Cemetery at Brixton. Many Founders and Followers lies buried here and much of Jo’burg’s history involved these men and women and this is the first heritage tour arranged here. Our extensive research has excited team members, but we’ll be pleased to add your memories of the personalities we encounter.

MEET : Val Hammerton, Frankie Toussaint and Sarah Welham
TIME : 14h00
PARK : Inside Brixton main cemetery. Go to the coffin rest and turn right. Then left and keep straight until you see the tour leaders. The road branches out at that point and there is shaded parking
DURATION : Two and a half hours
COST : R55-00 for members and R80-00 for non-members
MAX No : 50

This is a serious hike around Emmarentia, during which we will be focusing on the history of the suburb as one of the original farms on which Johannesburg was established. We will be visiting Louw Geldenhuy's farm house, as well as that of his brother, Frans. We will pay our respects at the family cemetery, and we’ll walk around the farm dam. Time permitting, we will call in at Jan van Riebeeck Park, a.k.a. the Rose Garden. At some point, we'll tip our collective cap to the iron-age pioneers who used this pass in their annual migration to the cooler grasslands of the south, and some of whom established their iron works on the northern slopes of Melville Koppies.

MEET : William Gaul and Liz Parker
TIME : 13h30 - PLEASE NOTE EARLY STARTING TIME
PARK : Marks Park Sports Club – entrance in Judith Road
DURATION : Three and a half hours
COST : R55-00 for members and R80-00 for non-members
MAX No : 50

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